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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Lopez

 

DATE TYPED:

2/22/03

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Law Enforcement Crisis Intervention Training

 

SB

755

 

 

ANALYST:

Dunbar

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

$256.0

 

See Narrative

Recurring

GF

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

 

Department of Health (DOH)

Attorney General Office (AGO)

Department of Public Safety (DPO)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Bill 755 appropriate $256,000 from the general fund to the Department of Health (DOH) to develop, supplement and accelerate crisis intervention training programs for law enforcement officers to more effectively handle crises and life-threatening situations involving people with mental illnesses. This activity would be accomplished in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office, the Department of Public Safety and County Sheriffs. The funding could be spent in both fiscal years 2004 and 2005 and any unexpended or unencumbered money would revert to the general fund at the end of fiscal year 2005.

 

     Significant Issues

 

Law enforcement officers are very often the first to respond to crises and life-threatening situations such as potential homicides, suicides, domestic violence, child abuse and other stressful and dangerous situations. Mental illness is frequently involved in homicide and suicide cases and in other crises and stressful law enforcement cases.  Additional training would enable law enforcement officers to improve their capacity to prevent completion of homicides and suicides, protect themselves in the line of duty, increase understanding of the nature of mental illnesses, and help ensure appropriate follow-up of mental health services.

 

Some communities (e.g., Albuquerque) have Crisis Intervention Teams in their police force that are trained in crisis response.  Some communities lack this capacity altogether.  The need is significant and the danger to persons with mental illness or developmental disabilities is real.  Persons with disabilities may not be able to communicate verbally and an understanding of persons with disabilities who are exhibiting challenging behaviors is a unique skill that has to be learned.

 

DPS reports that mental illness issues are a part of the basic curriculum for police officer training in the state.  The current training programs offered to police officer should be examined so that the courses enhance one another rather than duplicate efforts.

 

This is a bill sponsored by National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) NM. The intention is to utilize the DPS and Border Patrol facilities as training sites. NAMI apparently consulted with the National Sheriffs Association in preparing this bill.  The curricular modules would be developed by NAMI. The goal is to reach rural officers with this training. DOH indicates that part of the reason for inclusion of DPS in this bill is that they certify training for law enforcement statewide. It appears the goal would be to have DPS certify the training.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $256.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 05 shall revert to the general fund.

 

Current DPS-accredited Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainings are provided on-site in communities on request and cost between $5,000 and $9,000 through the statewide Interagency Forensic Network (IFN).

 

Fiscal implications on the Department of Public Safety are indeterminate.  DPS indicates that an impact could be felt if the LEA is to become involved in the training process at some point, either accrediting the classes, monitoring the training hours, providing facilities/instructors, etc.

 

As discussed in “Significant Issues “ above, it appears the goal would be to have DPS certify the training. Therefore, the DPS will be fiscally affected by this legislation.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

Staff time would be required to administer training contracts or a part-time/full-time equivalent personnel position would be needed to coordinate the training.  DOH must prepare the approval of a curriculum; manage the distribution of funds and monitor and verify increased capacity. DOH has mechanisms in place to administer these funds within the Behavioral Health Services Division. Crisis Intervention Training has been purchased in compliance with the procurement code since the early 1990s.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, New Mexico consistently has one of the highest youth suicide and homicide rates in the nation.  In 2000, there were 166 homicides and 327 suicides in New Mexico.  The New Mexico Child Fatality Review, through 64 interviews with family survivors of youth suicide, found that 39% of youth (age 10-24) who committed suicide were diagnosed with a mental illness.  An additional 59% showed symptoms of possible undiagnosed mental illness such as depression; talk of suicide, self-mutilation, or violent/reckless behavior. Homicide case reviews also found that both homicide victims and perpetrators show warning symptoms similar to suicide victims.  Nationally, between 12% and 22% of all children suffer from a diagnosable mental, emotional or behavioral disorder.

 

Interagency Forensic Network (IFN) Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) packages are flexible and adjusted to meet local needs including time constraints. IFN typically interacts with a community group to assess their needs, and then purchases the package for the community from trainers such as Front Line Crisis Intervention that is accredited by DPS.

 

BHSD works – through the Regional Care Coordinators (RCCs) – with the Forensic Intervention Consortium  (FIC) of Dona Ana County, FIC (Bernalillo County), Mental Health Intervention Consortium (Otero and soon Lincoln counties) and Behavioral Health Commission (Roswell).  All of the groups outside of Bernalillo County have worked with the statewide IFN to provide CIT to their law enforcement community. FIC and their Albuquerque Police Department have a whole curriculum that they use to keep a cadre of 100 officers across all three shifts trained in CIT. APD has historically held spaces in their academy for other jurisdictions.

 

FIC and APD report that the number of SWAT calls has substantially decreased and the majority of calls do not result in transportation to a detention facility.  All communities report that the success of diversion efforts by CIT-trained officers is directly related to diversion options available in the community. In addition, the CIT officers are able to use their skills to keep the mentally ill person, bystanders and themselves from serious or fatal bodily harm.

 

Due to attrition, basic CIT as well as advanced CIT training must be offered repeatedly. Law enforcement agencies prefer training in the community with flexible hours.  Finally, law enforcement personnel prefer courses that are DPS-approved for “officer advancement”.

 

BD/njw